MAN CITY'S £24M HULK BID
ABOVE: ulk, real name Givanildo de Souza, has emerged as one of the most prolific talents in Europe Mancini is set to turn to The Hulk in a bid to add some muscle to Manchester City
25th June 2011 By Jeremy Cross
Your Shout ( 0 )
ROBERTO Mancini is set to turn to The Hulk in a bid to add some muscle to Manchester City’s title hopes next season.
Mancini has been frustrated in his attempts to land Alexis Sanchez in a £30m deal from Udinese, with the Chilean star preferring a move to Barcelona instead.
It has left the Italian searching for an alternative and Starsport understands Brazil and Porto striker Hulk has jumped to the top of his summer shopping list.
Hulk, real name Givanildo de Souza, has emerged as one of the most prolific talents in Europe in recent years.
The strapping 25-year-old, who is a lookalike of actor Lou Ferrigno, who plays the comic book hero, plundered 31 goals in just 42 games for Porto this season. He helped win the Portuguese title and Europa League and would cost Mancini in the region of £24m.
Mancini, who is also considering a move for Spain and Valencia star Juan Mata, reckons Hulk’s style is almost identical to that of Sanchez.
He can operate on either flank and down the middle and Mancini is set to test the water with a £20m bid.
The pursuit of Sanchez has swung heavily in favour of Barca but Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo said: “Barcelona are ahead of City but the player has not expressed a big preference between the two clubs. Of course, we will consider his opinion. The deal is not done because there are still details yet to iron out.”
Meanwhile, City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has snubbed a move to Zenit St Petersburg.
Adebayor, also a target of Marseille and Juventus, has fallen out with Mancini and is keen to find a new club this summer.
The Togo hitman, 27, said: “I want to make it clear that there is no chance of me going to Zenit, so I think I have to be very clear to everyone that I will never be going to Zenit. I love the country but I don’t think I can see myself playing in the Russia league.”